Underworld: Versus
by Tusjecht
Summary: The strongest in Accel World cross swords with the mightiest from Project: Alicization. It would seem that Higa Takeru has Lancer-class luck...if not for the outcome of everything else!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: Due to time constraints, this first chapter will cover the first fight lined up. Keep reading, and make more requests in reviews!

* * *

><p><em>"The central area of the pyramid has a stabilizing pipe that's 20m in diameter and 100m tall called the «Main Shaft». This is the pillar that supports every floor in this ship and also the layer that protects important facilities. The insides are all the Control Systems of the ship itself, the backbone of the Alicization plan...the place where the 4 STLs and the main frame «Light Cube Cluster» is."<em>

* * *

><p><strong>May 2026, Ocean Turtle<br>LightCube Cluster A**

With slow, controlled movements, Higa Takeru slowly loosened the screws of the main cover with a special screwdriver.

"Two millimetres...six turns."

Thinking aloud helped to calm him down. When it comes to such delicate operations, it's never a crime to take his time. Better to overshoot the timing requirements than to damage the precious crystals nestled inside the steel-gray cuboid he was working on.

Placing the magnetised screwdriver into its slot, Higa reconfirmed his calculation. He needs to remove the cover of the LightCube Cluster with as little contamination as possible; this entire room cannot tolerate even the smallest speck of dust from _anything. _He turns the handle six times and removes the screwdriver, then places both hands onto two handles shoulder width apart.

"On three."

Speaking his thoughts again, he tries to control the shudder in his hands.

"Three...two...one...lift!"

Soundlessly, the cover comes off- filling the darkened room with an unearthly glow.

"Ahh..."

Setting the cover down, Higa takes a moment to examine the LightCube Cluster. Almost ten thousand cubes are contained inside the tank, floating in a clear electrolyte to support the delicate electronics within. Most of the cubes inside glow with tiny specks of light - the so-called Fluctuating Light that shows activity of the souls within the virtual reality, Underworld.

If one takes a step back to examine it, calling it a «LightCube Cluster» does not quite capture the beauty of this creation by human hands. If the main terminal is a stem, the sub-terminals are sister stems and their terminal axon is a leave, then the entire installation looks more like a tree. A tree of Underworld's universe itself - drawing parallels to the mythical World Tree «Yggdrasil».

Higa Takeru prefers to call it something else, however: an artificial «Brain».

.

Holding sixteen blank LightCubes in a statically-neutral cloth - not a plastic or metallic container, that would damage the fragile cubes - Higa holds the cubes above the Cluster. His hand is trembling slightly, but at this stage, it does not matter. The cloth is completely free of dust that would otherwise foul up the Cluster's electrolyte. All he has to do is release a corner and let the Lightcubes fall into the Cluster, assigning themselves to available terminals.

And yet he hesitated slightly.

Last month, the «Ghost Incident» had happened. Power had fluctuated for a few seconds when the teenager Kirigaya Kazuto had dived in, and afterwards, his Fulldive had been cancelled without any command whatsoever. Even when several attempts to show his mysterious opponent had failed, he had reluctantly left saying that «it» should not happen again, and it wasn't as though Higa didn't have faith in him.

So why did he have doubts about installing these Lightcubes...?

"Tch."

Frustrated at the delay, Higa shrugged and forced his worries out of his mind. He let go of one corner of the cloth, and sixteen clear cubes tumbled out, falling into the electrolyte with muted *_glop* _noises.

Internal mechanisms activated and guided the LightCubes to sixteen free terminals. Higa sighed and reached for the main cover to secure the Cluster...

-and then the glow of the Cluster began to fluctuate again.

=-=-=-=-=  
><strong>MATCH ONE: ALICE SYNTHESIS THIRTY vs BLACK LOTUS<strong>  
>Credits: Shiramieyuki<br>=-=-=-=-=

**A Certain Rented Apartment in Tokyo**  
><strong>Kuroyukihime<strong>

_What was that?!_

In the comfort of her living room, Kuroyukihime felt a disturbance in the virtual space around her.

To be precise, its a virtual recreation of her living room based on her home's Private Network- dyed piercing, deep blue. In the initial Accelerated Space, she has an extra half an hour at her fingertips to think - twenty-nine minutes, fifty-eight point two seconds to be exact. A moment ago, she was scanning the matching list to check for unfamiliar Burst Linkers in the vicinity of her home; just to make sure that there is no one trying to spy on her.

And then _that_ happened. A distortion in the space where her front door is located.

In her virtual network avatar, she got up and took a single step towards her front door and looked closely. The outline of the door is continuous and unbroken, and her anti-intrusion software shows green across the board. Nothing seems to have happened...

...and then ripples coalesce into_ another_ door.

Kuroyukihime stumbles in surprise and shock. Calling up her Matching List again, the names are all the same, so it's not a hacking of Brain Burst. Not likely.

But the door feels different from being a virtual object. The frame is wrought with an artistically exquisite frame of wrought iron, creating a crisscrossing pattern and a pressure that seems to draw her in.

Checking her anti-intrusion software again to make sure, Kuroyukihime steps up to the door. She stretches out a black-clothed hand and touches the doorknob...

A window appears before her. There's nothing written on it...and then English letters appear. Slowly, as though in slow-motion, they form two complete words: UNLIMITED BURST.

She hesitates. This could be a very well-planned trap to catch her in the Unlimited Field. Yet...the pressure from the door doesn't feel like a trap. It feels more like...it's inviting her.

Kuroyukihime takes in a deep breath, inflating her chest. Exhaling, she forms the command with her lips.

"Unlimited Burst."

Rings of light appear and her entrance hall is dismantled. As she becomes fully immersed in the body of her duel avatar Black Lotus..., she keeps her eyes peeled to see the Stage...

-a huge tower that pierces the clouds. Streets paved with cobblestone. Human avatars gawking at her strange body.

Kuroyukihime - or now, Black Lotus, makes a full turn to see her surroundings.

"This is NOT the Unlimited Field!"

.

**Centoria Cathedral, Central Plaza**  
><strong>Integrity Knight Alice Synthesis Thirty<strong>

"...what in Stacia's name is this...?"

Having been summoned from Cloudtop Garden from the Cathedral, Integrity Knight Alice had been expecting no more than a poor prank when she descended from eighty floors with the help of the Elevating operator. The only thing she had been taken aback by was that someone had dared to circumvent the Taboo Index to frighten the people.

Actually, there was one more thing that scared her; that an Integrity Knight had to be called to handle this issue. If local constables were not enough for this task...

And this...this_ sight_ before her confirmed her worst fears.

She was told that it resembled a Darkness Knight. But now she could see full well that this is no Knight. If anything, it resembles a demon. Forged from blades and dashed with streaks of poisonous purple.

Arresting her inital gaze was that this being had sharpened triangular edges for limbs. It was razor sharp based on its appearance; making it quite clear that this demon was created to kill.

The second thing that caught her eye was the two triangular pyramidal protrusions on its torso, the slim waist with a skirt of equally sharp armour.

_This demon is female_.

.

Pursing her lips, Alice Synthesis Thirty couldn't help but muse that the demon's chest seemed larger than hers.

The demon turned to face her and Solus' rays scattered upon refraction within its visor, made of purple crystal. The black metal of its body, oddly enough, reflected no light, as though cutting the sunlight itself.

"I am..."

Her voice died of her own will. The aura from the demon was oppressive! Purple slits of light where its eyes should be lit up from within as they locked gazes. It felt like a hundred swords facing her, thirsting for blood...

No.

The pressure from the demon is deeper than this. It's more complex than simply wishing to kill. The black swords from the demon seemed...to reject.

Reject all existence that dares touch it, and utterly sunder it until it ceases to exist.

Gnashing her teeth, Alice Synthesis Thirty places her right hand on the handle of her beloved sword. She grips it tightly.

"I am Integrity Knight Alice Synthesis Thirty! State your name and purpose, demon, and you will be personally escorted out of the sacred grounds of the Centoria Cathedral which you have trespassed!"

Alice Synthesis Thirty wryly noted that this demon, having no feet to speak of, seemed to levitate with an unseen force. Perhaps it was aerial elements keeping it afloat...?

"My real name is a secret."

Rude, yet feminine and light. From this demon with no visible mouth, each word seemed to be loaded with a sharpened edge that could cut Alice's ears itself.

"But you can call me 'Black Lotus.' If you can kindly show me the way here..."

One of the eyes brightened in luminance suddenly. The 'arms' of the demon seemed to revolve, retract, and -

*SHIIING*

_Swords!_

Suddenly, the rude words of the demon was clear. It was because of the **confidence** it - or she - possessed.

"...I will most kindly take my leave, _Alice_."

Had anyone else addressed her like that, they would most certainly be shackled and brought to the Cathedral to be imprisoned for the rest of their lifespan!

And Alice Synthesis Thirty will not stand for that any differently. The first section of the Fragrant Olive Sword greets Solus' rays as it is unsheathed-

And Black Lotus charges.

**tbc.**

I'll do the rest of their fight the next time I'm high from reading the LNs or anime episodes.

I'm crossing my fingers for AW S2!


	2. Chapter 2

=-=-=-=-=  
><strong>MATCH TWO: BERCULI SYNTHESIS ONE vs BLUE KNIGHT<strong>  
>Credits: Shiramieyuki<br>=-=-=-=-=

**Centoria Cathedral, Eightieth Floor: Bath Grande  
>Integrity Knight Berculi Synthesis One<strong>

When you have your body modified by the highest priestess Administrator to withstand the harshest of heat and the toughest of swords, your sensitivity tends to decline a bit. It has nothing to do with things that you need to take note of when hunting enemies; having slayed over a hundred Dark Knights and divine beasts in his lifetime, Berculi Synthesis One, Commander of the Integrity Knights, has no problems ensuring _those_ senses remain sharp.

What irked him was, as he had come to realise, the more pleasurable things in the Underworld lost their meaning too. Fine silk from the Norlangath's best tailors and the pelts of hunted game felt the same to him. Beads of sweat on his forehead after running ninety-five units had the same feeling as dispatching the two-headed serpent that had resided in one of the larger lakes some fifty years ago.

Most irritating of all, the Integrator's bath on the eightieth floor seemed to feel cooler and cooler every ten years or so, despite it always being the same temperature; piping hot in the Lesser Bath, and searing, boiling hot in the Greater Bath. And given that Berculi always frequented the latter Bath, this was saying something.

So, he was here again. Up to his neck in hot water that billowed steam, he let his head rest against the polished tiles of the Bath and tried to feel the water against his skin.

Again, it felt like a mere disturbance lapping against him. The lack of feeling wasn't unwelcome; in fact, it helped greatly during combat. However, Berculi sincerely wished he could dispose of that ability every time he stepped into the Great Bath.

He sighed and a small cloud of steam was cleared from his vision, revealing the elaborately carved spout which kept the Great Bathe filled with piping hot water. Cracking his knuckles under the water, he watched the distorted images of his hands, bent with refraction, go through familiar motions as though the water wasn't even there at all. He closed his eyes.

"..."

Something wasn't right, he could feel it. The gut feeling had settled into his stomach again, that danger was nearby. It was a very useful sixth sense that protected him during patrols, except...

Why here? How?

He turned around and saw nothing but steam and swirls. Still, the feeling did not disappear from his belly, and his back continued to remain tense. As quietly as he could, under the cover of gushing water, Berculi got out of the bath and put his arms through the sleeves of the woollen bathrobe - and as he coolly noted, it felt just like the tough underlayers of his equipment.

"Who goes there?"

Of course he didn't expect anyone to reply, but Berculi asked anyway. Hearing his voice echo off the walls and water, and receiving only the soft splashing of spouts in answer, he indeed felt quite foolish.

*TINK*

It was a sound as familiar to himself as was the sound of his own breathing; the tone of the Time-Piercing Sword as its blade was unsheathed slightly. From its short duration, it probably had only been drawn about five _cen_ at most.

Berculi's sense were fired up anyway. Which intruder had the gallantry to trespass the Integrator's private Bath without so much as announcing their presence, let alone lay their hands on his sword?

The answer was-

"'Tis a nice sword, I guess."

-a young, male voice whose owner he could not place. It was too old for the apprentices, too young to be an Integrator. Even the newly-commissioned Eldrie Synthesis Thirty-One didn't sound this young.

A huge outline appeared in the swirling steam.

"I'll be polite."

**Blue.** This... This _thing_ was completely covered from head to toe in blue armour, brighter than sapphires, deeper than the lake. From his helmet, two horns not unlike those of an oxen emerged, and instead of shoulder pauldrons, two thick shield-like attachments hung. A huge cape completed his appearance of something resembling the demon child of a Dark Knight and an Integrator.

"As for me, I am Blue Knight. The Level Niner, nicknamed Vanquish and Legend Slayer. I offer you a challenge to a duel..."

Catching his sword before he could even register that it was thrown at him, Berculi gazed at Blue Knight slack-jawed.

"...of swords and might."

From his back, an enormous two-handed sword was drawn, and a mighty pressure was released. In that moment, all the steam between them was blown away.

Berculi bit his lip. Again, it didn't feel right.

"...I accept."

Blue Knight took his first step forward with a resolute *THUD*.

=-=-=-=-=  
><strong>MATCH ONE: ALICE SYNTHESIS THIRTY vs BLACK LOTUS<strong>  
>=-=-=-=-=<p>

**Centoria Cathedral, Central Plaza**  
><strong>Integrity Knight Alice Synthesis Thirty<strong>

This thing - this _female_ abomination calling itself Black Lotus - was _fast_.

In all the time it takes to blink an eye, Black Lotus had crossed the twenty-odd mel distance separating Alice and her, one sword-limb thrusting for her face at the same time. With no feet to speak of, she had charged faster than any steed, lunged faster than any lancer. Alice hated to admit it, but the demon's opening move had earned her respect as a warrior.

Lotus' starting position had been taut and straight, giving Alice next to no information about her attack. Had Alice treated this like her training sessions with the fellow Integrators, she surely would have been cut down right there and then by that magnificent first strike. Yes, Alice had no other word to describe Lotus. Magnificent.

Grinding her teeth, Alice furrowed her brow and twisted to the right with all her strength. Drawing out her Fragrant Olive Sword at maximum speed, she turned to avoid the charge and counter with a downwards slash-

_CLANG!_

-Just in time to parry the second slash she didn't even know was coming, but got lucky anyway; Lotus had turned to the left mid-charge, attempting to cut Alice with her left-hand blade.

The weight of the blow cleared every square cen of ground five mel around them free of dust. Alice's cape billowed in high wind for a second, and a tremor ran down the length of the Fragrant Olive Sword.

But Lotus had been parried. If she can be parried, she can be blocked. She can be fought with. This is not an invincible enemy.

Sparks flew from their crossed blades, forcing Alice on the defensive and having to place her other hand on the handle of her sword. Black Lotus, having completed her opening strike, turned right round and stared into Alice's eyes.

Had Alice not fought against the last Dark Deputy General six months ago, she would have been intimidated - terrified, even! - by the eyeless, soul-less gaze Lotus surveyed her with. There was no 'eyes' to speak of for this demon, only little slits within the purple crystal of its mask from which they were illuminated within.

"-You're strong."

Her voice was just as cool as before, betraying naught a sense of the inner turmoil Alice felt within. She has no choice but to tell this white lie as such; with half the population of Centoria surely watching her from safety, she carries upon her shoulders the reputation of the Order of the Integrity Knights.

And perhaps, her very existence as Alice Synthesis Thirty.

"The same to you too."

Lotus' voice wasn't the same as before. A tinge of stress underscored her silky voice, hinting that the strength behind her words was not as bottomless as Alice had estimated. Their respective blades shrieked and sparked as their owners pitted their very willpower and minds against the other.

Alice allowed a small smile to creep over her lips for the first time since this morning. The Fragrant Olive Sword warmed with a steady glow. Her heart thrummed with excitement.

SHIING!

They broke the lock, and wasting no time, Alice immediately cut downwards, flicking her wrist and allowing the weight of her blade to follow through. Lotus was no fool, however; rather than allowing herself to be caught in a fatal lock from above, backstepped and raised her right sword to shoulder height, preparing for a counterthrust.

And then Alice twisted her wrist, allowing the Fragrant Olive Sword to change its trajectory from a Terra-bound slash into a smooth curve that arced right and up- and slashed again, forcing Lotus to backstep.

Two things were in her favour. The first is the immense _priority_ of the Fragrant Olive Sword; a weight so immense no weapon had been known to parry a blow from it and survive. If it takes a full charge from Lotus to succeed in stopping Alice's counter, then surely the feet-less demon cannot repeat that sleight of hand while standing relatively immobile.

The second was the exact reason Lotus couldn't possibly hope to survive another standoff like that; the lack of feet. Unlike Alice's gold-clad legs, Black Lotus has swords for all her appendages, save her head. Whatever means she uses to support herself, without the assistance of momentum, was clearly inferior to the Fragrant Olive Sword's attack.

So Alice calmly advanced, pushing Lotus back with attacks she couldn't stop. Where she couldn't dodge, she twisted and parried, but the Fragrant Olive Sword merely shrugged Lotus aside and forced her to backstep anyway.

Just when Alice was thinking about the feasibility of forcing Lotus into a corner, she swung down again-

In one smooth motion, it happened. Lotus brought her 'hand' up, raising it to cross the flat side against the very edge of the Fragrant Olive Sword - and circled her hand to nudge Alice's blade to her left with the smallest of effort. The motion wasn't fast- it couldn't be called that. The way Black Lotus had moved should be better described as 'no excess movement.'

With a earth-shaking BOOM, the Fragrant Olive Sword buried itself into the ground, shattering the paved stones around it and grinding the rest to powder. Attempting to free her sword, Alice already knew it was too late, she shouldn't have let herself get carried away-

Just as the Fragrant Olive Sword came free, Black Lotus struck.

=-=-=-=-=  
><strong>MATCH THREE: ELDRIE SYNTHESIS THIRTY ONE vs ARDOR MAIDEN<strong>  
>=-=-=-=-=<p>

**Royal Rose Sanctuary, Centoria Church**  
><strong>Ardor Maiden<strong>

Shinomiya Utai set her seventh arrow to the string of Flame Caller, pulled, and released. For the seventh time, the strange knight with antiquated armour and bearing a calmed, almost _pained_ expression, slashed mid-air with his silver sword and deflected her fire.

This match was getting nowhere, she knew. After uttering the command 'Unlimited Burst,' she had spawned in this awfully pretty garden of roses, and by God, how beautiful and refreshing it was!

And then she had met _him_, and all hope at peaceful communication was lost when he had drawn his blade.

Now, instead of admiring the beautiful flowers blooming all around them, Utai had little choice but to flee among them, seeking sanctuary where there was none, and hope to find a Leave Portal before she falls into Endless Kill mode _again_-

"Pray tell, young maiden, what is your name?"

From somewhere far behind, or perhaps just besides her, the young knight called out in a disarmingly sweet voice. Utai, more out of reflex than anything, turned and fired a single arrow behind her, but all she hit was fluttering petals and leaves stirred in her wake. The crunching of dry leaves somewhere to her right underscored the probability that her adversary knew this garden much, much better than her.

The slow, slow, pacing of his footsteps even suggested that he was merely _toying_ with her, like a predator enjoying the hunt when its prey is cornered.

Utai took her hand off her bowstring to type one-handed into her holographic keyboard- and then caught herself silly. If this was the Unlimited Field (although it looked too real to actually be that treasured space) then she couldn't hide behind text and keyboards, her usual farce of a means to communicate. She had to open her mouth and actually speak in return.

In this world where these strange people walked, speaking a strange variation of Japanese and looking like them, and at the same time _nothing_ like a Japanese person, which name should she give?

"Young maiden, I bear you no harm! Where art thou?"

The first is a lie, of course.

"I'm..."

She mentally kicked herself for forgetting formalities. If she really didn't want to die here by the hand of this knight, she should at least make the effort to be polite.

"As for me, my name is Ardor Maiden."

_Yes, I'm Ardor Maiden,_ Utai reminded herself. In another world... I'm the «**Apocalyptic Conflagration Maiden**».

**tbc.**

.

Further notes:  
>Took me too long to update! I'm sorry, forgive me?<p>

For any more fight requests, drop me a review, and let me know what you think of this idea so far!

-Tusjecht


	3. Chapter 3

=-=-=-=-=  
><strong>MATCH TWO: BERCULI SYNTHESIS ONE vs BLUE KNIGHT<strong>  
>Credits: Shiramieyuki<br>=-=-=-=-=

**Centoria Cathedral, Eightieth Floor: Bath Grande  
>Integrity Knight Berculi Synthesis One<strong>

"By the Goddess herself! What are you!" Berculi growled. Sparks flew from the intersection between the Time-Piercing Blade and the blue two-handed sword that his opponent wielded.

Berculi Synthesis One had fought a great number of demons, generals, and beasts alike. No foe was too difficult, no task was impossible. With his strength, skill, and the Time-Piercing Sword, there's nothing he can't cut down.

Until they had crossed swords, Berculi fully believed he was unmatched by anything within the Underworld, to say nothing of the Dark Generals.

They broke free from the deadlock - swung heavily - and locked themselves into another deadlock. If there was before, there was no question now that Blue Knight was just as strong as Berculi. He hadn't even had time to use a sword skill, and yet-!

Blue Knight grunted as he shifted his feet and leaned forwards. The Time-Piercing Sword shrieked in protest at being ground down. Surely its Life was falling with a Divine Instrument of equal sharpness being brought against it-

That was it. It was so simple that Berculi thought it absurd for a second, but considered in that instant.

A large yellow jewel was set in the center of Blue Knight's sword. And though every weaponsmith would claim otherwise, having a decoration of any kind within one's personal weapon, besides the sheathe where it was actually necessary, _lowered_ the total Life of the Instrument, rather than increasing it. Such weapons used to be the stay of the early generations of Integrators, until the cost of maintaining them grew too high to spare.

Therefore, all he had to do was break Blue Knight's sword. A unfair and devious method to win, but Berculi had no reservations to spare. All he had to wear was a bathrobe while his adversary was clad from head to toe in reliable armour.

The dark blue blade of the Time-Piercing Sword glowed in affirmation of its master's plan.

"_System Call_!"

Blue Knight narrowed his eyes as Berculi chanted. His muscles tensed while Berculi rattled off a high-speed chant in a single breath-

"_Discharge_!"

=-=-=-=-=  
><strong>MATCH ONE: ALICE SYNTHESIS THIRTY vs BLACK LOTUS<strong>  
>=-=-=-=-=<p>

**Centoria Cathedral, Central Plaza**  
><strong>Black Lotus<strong>

-This is it!

She couldn't believe it had worked, but it had anyway. As soon as the golden warrior's attacks began to take on a familiar pattern, Lotus forced her hand, literally.

Alice's automatic counter to a thrust was to deflect with a swing to the right. Then she flicked her wrist to bring the blade around, screaming for blood on its return path.

And then she had applied all her focus, concentrating her speed into a single action with no excess movement, bringing the side of her blade into contact with Alice's golden sword.

Sparks had flown and her hand felt cold and hot at the same time. But Lotus bit her lip and continued to concentrate. To move her hand in a circular motion and redirect the attack vector until it was no longer a threat - and it succeeded.

Terminating Sword couldn't instantly sever that blade Alice held, so it was on the same, if not a greater level as her swords. But Guard Reversal - the technique perfected after countless hours of training in the Unlimited Field - need not be matched against a similar level for it to work. All that was required was the strength and skill.

And in her case, a great deal of luck.

_BOOM!_

The golden blade sank halfway into the cobblestone path. Bits of stone and dust pinged off Black Lotus' armour and irritated her eyes. But this was nothing compared to the secret delight she felt upon catching sight of Alice's expression - her eyes were wide with horror and disbelief. Her gauntleted hand twitched towards her sword's grip.

Bringing up one sword-hand above her shoulder, Lotus bit her tongue in preparation for the final strike.

"Hya-"

"ENHANCE ARMAMENT!"

In that instant, Alice screamed. Lotus' sword tip was mere centimetres from her neck, so close to ending the fight-

_FZZZZHH_-

A heavenly light opened up from beneath her feet. The earth itself fissured and cracked as though a star itself was born in its depths - and the Fragrant Olive Sword emerged, sunlight blazing from its entire length and radiating pure indignation at being buried before its time.

Almost comically, Black Lotus was tossed in the air like a doll! But the advantage of not having feet, paradoxically, was the ability to twist mid-air and land gracefully on the repulsor jets Lotus relied on to hover off the ground. With a feline grace, Lotus bent low to absorb the 'shock' of landing and stared in horror.

The golden knight, Alice Synthesis Thirty, glared at her with a fiery passion, as though her emotions were one with her sword. Surely her weapon was just an Enhanced Armament, so why would it be able to respond like...?

No, Black Lotus realised, the bond between swordswoman and blade ran far deeper than that.

Lotus' only attachment to her blades stemmed from the realisation that they were the manifestation of her childhood trauma. To unconditionally reject all that approach as surely as the thorns of a blackened, burnt, black rose.

But as the aura from Alice and her golden sword stirred up the air and dust all around her, she radiated an incredible pressure that was in perfect harmony with what she felt from the glowing blade. A pure wish to preserve and protect life itself. An unshakable oath becoming her strength. And most of all, the belief in their ability to fight together as one.

Alice Synthesis Thirty and her golden sword, or as the whispers carried all around them: the «Golden Osmanthus Knight».

=-=-=-=-=  
><strong>MATCH THREE: ELDRIE SYNTHESIS THIRTY-ONE vs ARDOR MAIDEN<strong>  
>=-=-=-=-=<p>

**Royal Rose Sanctuary, Centoria Church**  
><strong>Edlrie Synthesis Thirty-One<strong>

Ardor...Maiden.

_No woman of this world would dare call herself a maiden,_ Eldrie scoffed. A maiden was a lady of purity who obeyed the Taboo Index, followed with her Sacred Task, and when she came of age, unconditionally and eternally upholds her vow to the man she marries. Something like the thing that had crossed him, however, bearing a mask with neither mouth nor eyes, and only as tall as his chest, was even less than the lowest-ranking peasant. It is a demon.

But as her red skirt fluttered and danced in the wind, Eldrie's thoughts stumbled and ground to a halt. Even as he readied his sword for a sword skill, preparing to neutralise this 'Ardor Maiden,' something at the back of his mind tugged at his brain urgently.

A red dress, spinning and curling. The child; she was taking her first steps out of the house and into the yard-

Eldrie blinked. Now that he could get a better look at her, he had to concede something, that this 'maiden'...was beautiful. Her upper half was pure white, rivalling even the finest Eastern silks, and though it didn't take away the fact that her mask had nothing else besides her eyes (and they shone with an unearthly light to begin with), the mask itself was exquisitely heart-shaped. For a child, it was adorable.

"Please don't hurt me," Ardor Maiden whimpered, as she turned her bow aside. "Please..."

"I do not mean to hurt you," Eldrie found himself smoothly saying, as though he had always meant to say that. "But... You're a trespasser and must be brought to the Axiom Church for your crime."

Even as he laid down the law, the point of his sword wavered slightly. Just how would the Church deal with Ardor Maiden? Somehow, he found himself concerned, that despite her bizarre appearance, there was something about her that clearly showed she was but a child. If any child couldn't just join the Church as an Apprentice, what chance did this Ardor Maiden stand to survive their punishment?

Something had always bothered Eldrie about the way the Apprentices were treated. Especially the Elevator Operator Servant - despite being a high-class user of aerial elements, even coming close to his own skill level, there was something deeply wrong about being made to operate the Elevator for the rest of her Life's span, wasting all her skill in generating aerial elements for but a single purpose.

A dull ache had begun to throb behind his right eye. It kicked Eldrie out of his train of thought and he realised he had been hesitating for nearly a minute. He straighten his back and cleared his throat, but just as he did so, the being who called herself a maiden asked an unexpected question.

"Mr Knight, are you going to arrest me?"

"That is correct. You have trespassed upon the Royal Garden, and will be brought before the Church for questioning."

"And I'll be locked up, won't I?"

Eldrie swallowed. "Yes," he answered simply. There was no need to reveal anything to her.

"If I'm locked up, then no one will visit me," Ardor Maiden's eyebrows drooped sadly. "It is pointless to perform without an audience."

She clasped her hands and bowed slightly. "May I be allowed to perform one last time, Mr Knight?"

To say Eldrie was stunned was an understatement. It was absolutely audacious for a criminal to request anything like this! Every criminal the Integrity Knights had ever apprehended knew their place and submitted to their authority. But this...demon dared to ask to dance!

And yet, Integrity Knight Eldrie, Synthesis Thirty-One felt that if he had been invited to watch this child dance for what would possibly be the last time in her Life's span, he may as well accept.

"Set aside your bow, demon. You are permitted to dance, but if you so much as string your bow..."

"As you wish, Mr Knight." Ardor Maiden smiled. She concentrated briefly, wondering if she should go along with some simple lines...but if she did too many things at once, her deception might well be exposed. It will be short and simple, and by the time she's finished, the strange knight will have ceased to exist.

Such misfortune the knight had to bear today. Her eyes half-closed, she had already transformed her bow into a hand fan. The air around her wavered, as though subjected to a fierce heat, but she held back her impulse to immediately burn him. She didn't wish to raze the rose garden to ash...

Ardor Maiden looked to the skies, and began to sing.

**tbc.**

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Hey there! Thought I was dead, didn't ya? Well, I'm still alive, and as long as I still get reviews and requests for matchups, I'll keep going. A story where all the side characters get to shine is just what AW needs!

(Though I'm pretty sure that statement applies to most other series with OP MCs...)

-Tusjecht


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